St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County (SVdP) is a new Environmental Partner of 1% for the Planet, a worldwide alliance of more than 4,000 business and individual members that give back to support environmental nonprofits.
“We are tremendously excited for the future opportunities to come from teaming with 1% for the Planet,” says SVdP Executive Director Terry McDonald. “As a nonprofit leader in developing waste-based businesses that elevate environmental stewardship — just as they generate sustainable revenue to support our charitable human-services programs — this affiliation makes beautiful sense for us.”
Beyond revenue from retail-thrift, recycling and manufacturing enterprises, SVdP also relies on outside funding to sustain a safety net of social services in the communities it serves. And SVdP is now eligible to receive donations from 1% for the Planet business and individual member companies, placing it among a diverse, global grouping of environmental organizations. 1% members fuel this Environmental Partner network through their annual contributions, so the partnership greatly expands the potential pool of funding to which SVdP can look for support.
The 1% for the Planet model comes to life through the partnerships that form between members and partners. Business members engage directly with approved Environmental Partners, providing monetary donations, volunteer time, in-kind donations and other forms of promotional support. Thriving partnerships deliver longer-term support and greater impact for everyone involved.
“Naturally, we look forward to every new chance this will create for us to connect with others sharing our commitment to putting people and planet over profit,” McDonald says.
SVdP most directly contributes to a healthier planet by diverting vast quantities of material from landfills every year and extending the life of both reusable products and recyclable raw materials. That, in turn, reduces demands for resource-intensive manufacturing of new items. In 2022 alone, SVdP recycled almost 21,000,000 pounds (10,478 tons) of material including metal, fabric, paper, wood, electronics and more — even environmentally problematic expanded polystyrene (EPS) blocks and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas.
“We know our Environmental Partners play a critical role in solving the many challenges facing our planet, and our core work is to grow the support that enables these nonprofits to accomplish even more,” says Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet. “We are thrilled to welcome St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County to the 1% for the Planet network.”
See SVdP’s entry in the 1% for the Planet directory.
About 1% for the Planet
1% for the Planet is a global organization that exists to ensure our planet and future generations thrive. We inspire businesses and individuals to support Environmental Partners through membership and everyday actions. We make environmental giving easy and effective through partnership advising, impact storytelling and third-party certification. Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, our members have given hundreds of millions of dollars to our approved Environmental Partners to date. Today, 1% for the Planet’s network consists of thousands of businesses, individuals and Environmental Partners striving for a better future for all. Visit www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.
About SVdP
Incorporated in 1955 in Eugene, Ore., SVdP today is the largest nonprofit human-services agency in Lane County and one of the leading affordable-housing developers in the state. SVdP owns and operates more than 1,600 units of permanent affordable housing for low-income residents, and helps more than 35,000 individuals annually through an array of services forming a social safety net; this includes sheltering 500-600 unhoused people every night. SVdP operates a network of 13 St. Vinnie’s retail-thrift stores and one used-car lot; an extensive online book sales program; the first and still the largest mattress-recycling enterprise in the nation (DR3 Recyling); and other waste-based recycling and manufacturing enterprises — all creating quality jobs and sustainable revenue to support SVdP’s charitable efforts. Visit www.svdp.us.